Checklist of the Ants of Michigan (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

A total of 113 species of ants is recorded by county from the state of Michigan. The list is based upon literature records and specimens in the authors\u27 collections and those of the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology and the Michigan State University Department of Entomology. The list includes 3 species in Ponerinae, 44 in Myrnucinae, 6 in Dolichoderinae, and 60 in Formicinae. Ten species represent new state records. Five distribution pat- terns are evident: statewide (39 species), southern counties only (5), southern 3/4th of Lower Peninsula (10), Lower Peninsula (17), and Upper Peninsula (2). Forty species have been collected too infrequently to determine the distribution within the state

Observations on the Nesting of \u3ci\u3eCrabro Tenuis\u3c/i\u3e (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Three nests of Crabro tenuis were studied during June 1971-1972 in Oswego County, New York. Females constructed shallow but lengthy, multicelled nests in sand with the cells being built in clusters, sometimes in series. Females plugged the entrances with damp sand and occupied the burrows during midday. Paralyzed prey were stored head inward at the end of the burrow. The deeper cells in a cluster were excavated and provisioned first and the shallower cells built and stored later, as determined by the developmental stages of the wasps within the cells. From four to seven paralyzed, adult male flies were placed in a fully provisioned cell with their venters toward the center. Such a cell usually held only one species of fly. Provisions consisted of the suborders Brachycera and Cyclorrhapha and comprised the families Rhagionidae, Anthomyiidae and Tachinidae. An egg was affixed about equally to the left or right side of the neck of a fly and this prey was placed against or near the wall of the cell. The nesting traits of C. tenuis were compared with those of other members of the Cribrarius group, C. advena of the Advena, group, C. venator of the Tumidus group and species in the Hilaris group

A new Anagrus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) from Argentina, an egg parasitoid of Delphacodes sitarea (Hemiptera: Archaeorrhyncha: Delphacidae)

A new species of the mymarid wasp genus Anagrus Haliday is described from the Province of Tucumán, Argentina. The type series of A. Anagrus miriamae, S. Triapitsyn and Virla sp. nov. was reared from eggs of the planthopper Delphacodes sitarea Remes Lenicov and Tesón on a common pasture and lawn grass, Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walter) Kuntze. Both the parasitoid and its host are widely distributed in Argentina. Anagrus Haliday is described from the Province of Tucumán, Argentina. The type series of A.(Anagrus) miriamae S. Triapitsyn and Virla sp. nov. was reared from eggs of the planthopper Delphacodes sitarea Remes Lenicov and Tesón on a common pasture and lawn grass, Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walter) Kuntze. Both the parasitoid and its host are widely distributed in Argentina.Fil: Triapitsyn, Serguei. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Virla, Eduardo Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos; Argentin

Insect species described from Big Bend National Park

The list contains 192 insect species, of which 139 are primary types. All have been described from material collected in or near Big Bend National Park, Texas

A preliminary check-list of the Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) of the Maltese Islands

A list of 147 species of Chalcidoidea from the Maltese Islands is presented 73 of which are here reported for the first time from this territory. They belong to 15 families as follows: Agaonidae (3); Aphelinidae (20 including 3 new records); Azotidae (1 new record); Chalcididae (3 new records); Encyrtidae (23 including 13 new records); Eulophidae (35 including 19 new records); Eupelmidae (7 including 2 new records); Eurytomidae (5 including 4 new records); Leucospidae (4); Mymaridae (2); Ormyridae (1 new record); Pteromalidae (33 including 21 new records); Signiphoridae (2); Tetracampidae (1 new record); Torymidae (7 including 5 new records). Out of the 73 new records, 55 were exclusively found in Malaise trap samples at Verdala Palace near Buskett, a semi-natural wooded area dominated by Pinus halepensis. Thirty species mentioned in the present study were reared from plant-galls, either during the present study or in former studies pertaining to Malta. Of these 8 are gall inducers and the rest are primary or secondary parasitoids of the gall inducers. This list must represent only a small proportion of the actual species richness expected to be found in the Maltese Islands since absolutely no field work was carried out in other diverse and potentially rich habitats, such as steppe, garigue, maquis, coastal habitats and valley systems, present on these islands.peer-reviewe

The bees of Greater Puerto Rico (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila)

The bee fauna of the Greater Puerto Rico area was studied. A review of the previous relevant studies is presented. An annotated catalog and information about the origin and distributional patterns are also provided. Thirty-nine species of bees occur in Puerto Rico and adjacent islands. This fauna is composed of four elements: exclusive Puerto Rican endemics (26.5%); Antillean endemics occurring on multiple islands (76.5%); continental species that have also colonized the Antilles (23.5%); and species introduced through human activity (12.8%). The bee fauna was both low in its diversity and showed the highest level of disharmony in relation to other faunas of the Greater Antilles. A lectotype is here designated for Agapostemon krugii Wolcott, 1936

Insects Associated with Michigan Bumblebees (\u3ci\u3eBombus\u3c/i\u3e Spp.)

(excerpt) Studies of insect associates of bumblebees are not new. For example, Tuck (1896, 1897) reported over 50 species of insects associated with nests of British bumblebees. Sladen (1912) discussed nest associates and parasites of European bumblebees, and Plath (1934) published similar data for American bumblebees. Postner (1952) published more detailed data. He listed over 60 taxa of insects associated with bumblebees near Erlangen, Germany

An annotated and illustrated checklist of Microgastrinae wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Greenland

The Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from ten islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) and Greenland were studied based on 2,183 specimens deposited in collections. We report a total of 33 species in six genera, more than doubling the totals previously known. Most of the species (75.7%) have a distribution restricted to the Nearctic, with nine of those (27.3%) confirmed to be High Arctic endemics and another 10 species considered very likely to be High Arctic endemics as well – accounting for all of those, more than half of all species found are endemic to the region. The most diverse genera were Cotesia (10 species), Glyptapanteles (9 species), and Microplitis (7 species), representing 78.8% of the overall species diversity in the region. The six most frequently collected species comprised 84.7% of all examined specimens. The flight period for Microgastrinae in the High Arctic encompasses only two months, with activity peaking during the first half of July, when almost 40% of all available specimens were collected, and then plummeting in the first half to the end of August. Microgastrinae wasps from the High Arctic are currently known to parasitize eight species within four families of Lepidoptera: three species of Noctuidae, two each of Lymantridae and Nymphalidae, and one species of Pterophoridae. However, that information is very preliminary, as only six of the 33 species of microgastrines currently have associated host data. An annotated checklist, including photographs for 24 of the 33 species, is provided, as well as a key to all Microgastrinae genera present in the region

Occurrence of the Old World bug Megacopta cribraria (Fabricius) (Heteroptera: Plataspidae) in Georgia: a serious home invader and potential legume pest

Specimens of Megacopta cribraria (Fabricius) were collected in northern Georgia in late October 2009, where they were invading homes in large numbers. This is the first known occurrence of this species and the family Plataspidae in the New World. Megacopta cribraria was previously known from Asia and Australia. A key is provided to separate Plataspidae from other families of Pentatomoidea in America North of Mexico. A diagnosis and figures are provided to facilitate recognition of M. cribraria. Reported host plants and other aspects of the biology of this species are reviewed. Megacopta cribraria is considered a pest of numerous legumes in Asia, has the potential to provide biological control of kudzu, Pueraria montana var. lobata (Willd.) Ohwi, (Fabaceae) and likely will continue to be a household pest in the vicinity of kudzu fields as well as become a pest of North American legume crops

Notes on Cynipid Galls, Ground Beetles and Ground-dwelling Spiders Collected at Fort Severn, Ontario

A brief collecting trip to Fort Severn, Ontario (55°59' N, 87°38' W), in May 2001 revealed galls of three species of cynipid wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) on the wild rose Rosa acicularis. Roses and cynipid galls occur along the banks of the Severn River above the tree line because of clay deposits, heat, and rafts of vegetation carried north by the river. Ground beetles and spiders were collected with pitfall traps. Our identification of 15 species of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae), two of them new records for Ontario, and 11 species of ground spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae), all new records for northwestern Ontario, indicates that the invertebrate fauna in the area has been poorly studied. Roads and trails away from Fort Severn, regularly scheduled airline service, and convenient accommodations make the area ideal for biological studies.Une brève sortie de prélèvement à Fort Severn, en Ontario (55° 59' de lat. N., 87° 38' de long. O.), effectuée en mai 2001 a révélé l'existence de galles de trois espèces de cynips du rosier (hyménoptères: cynipidés) sur le rosier aciculaire Rosa acicularis. On trouve ce dernier et les galles du rosier le long des rives de la Severn au-dessus de la limite forestière en raison des dépôts d'argile, de la chaleur et de la végétation flottante que transporte la rivière en direction du Nord. On a prélevé des carabes et des araignées terricoles à l'aide de pièges à fosse. Notre identification de 15 espèces de carabes (coléoptères: carabidés), dont deux représentaient deux nouvelles espèces pour l'Ontario, et de 11 espèces d'araignées terricoles (aranéides: lycosidés), dont toutes étaient nouvelles pour le nord-ouest de l'Ontario, révèle que la faune invertébrée de la région n'a pas encore fait l'objet d'une étude approfondie. Les routes et les pistes menant à l'extérieur de Fort Severn, le service régulier de transport aérien et l'hébergement à proximité font de la région un emplacement idéal pour des études biologiques